1. Make a list and a budget. Schools usually send students a list of what they'll need for the upcoming school year. You might even be able to find it on Target or Walmart's websites.

2. Take inventory of what you already have. To avoid buying things you don't need, check to see if you have pens, pencils, or notebooks left over from last year that you can still use.

3. Use coupons and shop sales. A lot of stores have coupons on their apps and websites, and in their weekly circulars.

4. Buy used or refurbished items. Electronics can be expensive. And some items, like graphing calculators, won't be needed for more than a couple years. So check sites like eBay, Amazon, Apple, and Dell for their refurbished deals.